


The Bigger Picture

by sakurachiyos



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 04:46:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18024959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurachiyos/pseuds/sakurachiyos
Summary: In which Kepler muses about the nature of his relationship to his job, himself, and Daniel Jacobi.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> This is a gift I wrote for one of my best friends, thank you for dragging me into Kepcobi hell, but more importantly, reading my stuff and encouraging to write more.

From the Black Archives, a meeting between Warren Kepler and Marcus Cutter in his primary office at Goddard Futuristics HQ, just days before Mr. Kepler and his crew are expected to embark on the Urania.  
Status: _Classified_.

“Now Warren,” Cutter said. “Alana is cleared to come with you on this mission, but I’m not so sure about Daniel.”

“You don’t think he’s fit for the job.” It wasn’t a question, but rather a thinly veiled accusation. Ordinarily, people didn’t take that tone of voice with Cutter and live to tell the tale, but Kepler wasn’t an ordinary person and neither were their circumstances. 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Mr. Cutter chose his next words carefully. “Daniel is very…hands on, but he’s not exactly someone I’d want with me on such a high stakes operation.” Kepler grit his teeth, holding down fury, but Mr. Cutter didn’t seem to notice as he continued to speak. “I mean look at his record Warren, he’s a loose canon, a liability we can’t afford and we can’t have those now, can we?”

The words _“No, Mr. Cutter, sir.”_ were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them. His mind was back at a bar years ago, where he had “stumbled” across Daniel Jacobi, who had told him about how he lost his job due to an explosion that he hadn’t caused. Sob stories like his were a dime a dozen in his line of work, but Jacobi’s words had struck a chord with him, almost to the point where he wanted not to do what he had to next. Still, after all they had been through, he was glad he had left the business card there, for if he hadn’t, somebody else from Goddard surely would have, and they might not have been so polite about the recruitment process.

Cutter continued. “Alana has my full recommendation, but Daniel just isn’t at that level yet. Think about it Warren, do you really want to take a loose can-”

“With all due respect, Mr. Cutter, sir,” Kepler interrupted. “Mr. Jacobi has shown nothing but the utmost dedication to his job and to his team.”

“But–”

“When things go south, I know I’ll be able to count on my loose canon to hold down the fortress. Mr. Jacobi is my right-hand man and he’s staying on this mission, I won’t have it any other way.”

Mr. Cutter paused, the weight of Kepler’s words sinking in. He let out a deep breath, then plastered on a smile. “Well, I see there’s no changing your mind on this.”

“No, Mr. Cutter, sir.” the words came easy now, unflinching.

“But,” Cutter’s grip on his shoulder tightened and his voice lowered. “The second his presence hinders the mission objectives, I trust you know what to do.” Kepler stayed silent, keeping eye contact with his boss. Cutter removed his hand from Kepler’s shoulder and the smile was back. “Well, I’m glad we had this talk Warren, it’s always a pleasure seeing you.”

“You as well, sir.” and with that, Kepler saw his cue to leave. As he reached for the doorknob, Cutter called back. “Remember Warren, bigger picture, it’s always been about the bigger picture.”


	2. Chapter 2

From the Black Archives, a heart-to-heart between Warren Kepler and SI-5 Operative Daniel Jacobi during the second Hephaestus Mission, a few nights after the crew encountered a double of Mr. Jacobi. Dr. Pryce was able to reconstruct the moment after accessing Unit 214’s data banks, however, this file remains incomplete given the fact Unit 214 entered a debugging cycle shortly after.  
Status: _Classified_.

It’s long after midnight, although it’s hard to tell in outer space. Kepler sent Eiffel to sleep hours ago, and he finds himself alone in the communications room, trying to make heads or tails of the transmissions. The door opens behind him and he looks up to see Jacobi peer in, his piercings glinting in the light. “Mr. Jacobi, what are you doing up so late?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Jacobi scratches his neck, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Then, he asks, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?" 

Kepler glances at the charts strewn around him and sighs. It doesn’t look like he’ll be making headway anytime soon on this, and he could really go for a break. "Not at all, what can I do you for?”

A few minutes later, the two of them are at the bridge, Jacobi’s elbows resting on a railing as he looks out at the rest of the station. Kepler stands beside him, arms crossed and leaning against the railing. Ever since his encounter with the unknown, Jacobi has been quieter than usual. He’s barely smiled or made one of those wisecracks that he’s known for. Kepler wishes he can say something reassuring, but the one thing that could possibly give Jacobi some measure of comfort is the very thing he’s been sworn to secrecy. 

“What if I got it all wrong?” he whispers, words nearly lost to the stars. 

Kepler takes a deep breath. “We’ve been over this, you–” 

“I what? Because the way I see it, I freaked and got someone killed! And that someone might have been ME!” he slams his fist on the railing, sending reverberations down Kepler’s spine. 

“Steady now, Mr. Jacobi,” Kepler warns. 

“No! You weren’t there, you don’t know what it was like!” His voice lowers, he buries his face in his hands, taking a deep breath. “You couldn’t know what it was like. Maxwell– she tried to let it-him–me, Jesus, I don’t know. She tried to save--” he stops, shoulders heaving. After a moment, he says “I can’t do this anymore. Take me off the mission.” 

Kepler tenses. “Jacobi, we’re seven and a half lightyears away from Earth. I can’t just take you off this mission.” 

Jacobi crosses his arms. “Fine, then strap me to Hilbert’s examining table so I can’t hurt anyone. I know you’d love the view.” 

Kepler chuckles, but his tone is anything but humorous. “You drive a hard bargain Mr. Jacobi, I’d consider giving up whiskey for a sight like that.” 

Jacobi looks hopeful, but Kepler clears his throat, and in that moment, Jacobi knows any chances of him getting his way are gone. “Jacobi, did I ever tell you about the time Cutter called me into his office?” 

Jacobi groans. “Sir, as much as I love your stories, can we do this another time and focus on the problem at hand?” 

Kepler ignores him and continues. “It happened a few days before we boarded the Urania. It wasn’t the first time he summoned me and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, but that meeting sticks in my mind. Care to know why, Mr. Jacobi?” 

Jacobi knows Kepler will continue with his story whether he says something or not, so he stays silent. 

“It was a weekday, a Tuesday, if I’m remembering correctly. Mr. Cutter called me to his office because he had some… concerns about the mission.”

Jacobi stands a little straighter. “Concerns? What kind of concerns?” 

“He called me in because he was worried about your performance. He thought you were a lost cause, thought you’d jeopardize the mission.” 

“What do you think, sir?” Jacobi ventures to ask. 

Kepler closes his eyes, he can imagine what Cutter would say in that sing-song tone of his. _“You’re wasting your time with him Warren!”_

“I know Cutter was wrong, and I know you’re better than this. You’re SI-5, you knew what you were getting into when you joined. I need you to be above all of this, and start thinking of the bigger--” 

“I AM thinking of the bigger picture, I don’t want anyone to get hurt and if quarantining me gets the job done, so be it!” Jacobi lunges, grabbing a fistful of Kepler’s shirt in his hands. They’re eye to eye now, Jacobi towering over him and Kepler gripping the railing of the bridge. Under the light of Wolf 359, Kepler looks into Jacobi’s eyes. They’re tired, it looks like he hasn’t slept ever since the incident, and he’s on the verge of tears. “Please, just grant me this one thing, take me off the mission before I hurt you.” 

Kepler’s grip on the railing tightens, his resolve holding on by a string. “I’m sorry Daniel, I can’t.” Jacobi’s grip on Kepler loosens. “Ask me for anything else, but I can’t let you go.” 

“Anything?” he asks. 

“Anything.” Kepler swears.

“Then make me forget, even if it’s just for tonight.” Jacobi says, wrapping his arms around Kepler’s neck. Kepler nods, understanding what is meant, and grabs Jacobi by the waist, pushing him up against the railing. Jacobi puts one hand on it to steady himself, and the other moves to Kepler’s hair, pulling him in for a kiss. Jacobi catches a whiff of whiskey on his breath, and tastes it sweet when their lips meet. 

They’ve kissed before, some stolen pecks in corridors during corporate parties, more passionate ones under the fireworks, and dozens of more in between. They’ve done this before, but never with such a sense of urgency. 

Kepler hoists Jacobi up so he’s perched on the railing and parts his legs, moving in between them. Jacobi’s breath catches in his throat, “Kepler, please can we-- _ah!_ ” He doesn’t get a chance to finish that thought, not with Kepler leaving a trail of kisses down Jacobi’s neck as his arm makes its way up his shirt. Jacobi pulls Kepler in closer, wrapping his legs around his waist, his hand leaving the railing. For a moment, he’s suspended over the bridge, until Kepler’s hands find their way to Jacobi’s back, holding him close. Kepler brings his lips back to Jacobi’s, savouring the sounds he makes. 

They pull apart, clinging to each other like lifelines. In between breaths, Jacobi asks. “Any… chance … we can crank up the temperature Colonel?” Kepler smirks as Jacobi loops his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. “I think we most certainly can, Mr. Jacobi.”


	3. Epilogue

From the Black Archives, a file found on the Urania’s central processing unit. Estimated to have taken place shortly after the events transcribed on File 359.   
Status: _Declassified_.

He wakes up in his room with Jacobi’s arms around his waist. Jacobi is still asleep, his hair mussed, chest bare and and a trail of marks running down his body from where Kepler’s lips met his skin Everyone will see them at breakfast, but noone will say anything, not if they want to live. Jacobi won’t say anything about them either, he never does, although Kepler knows it must weigh on his mind. There’s an implicit understanding they’ve built after years on the job, and it’s that they don’t talk about this. About them, what they are, and what they could be. 

Slowly, Kepler moves Jacobi’s arm to leave and his eyes flutter open. “Leaving already Colonel?” he mumbles, cheek half buried in his pillow. 

Kepler tucks a strand of hair behind his ear and gives him a quick kiss, thumb grazing over his piercing. “I have to.” he says, though they both know it’s a lie. Out here, seven and a half lightyears away from Earth, nothing’s stopping them from staying like this. Not even Cutter’s authority reaches this far. 

As he turns to leave, Jacobi reaches for his arm. “Stay a little longer Warren?” When Kepler doesn’t respond right away, he adds, “Please?” 

Kepler allows himself a small smile, then looks back. “Of course.” Who was he to deny him? As Kepler leans back beside him, he feels Jacobi smile against his chest. Later when Jacobi’s fallen asleep in his arms, Kepler wonders for the first time in his life if he’s the one who’s been missing the bigger picture.


End file.
